Pentagon Orders National Guard to Establish Quick-Reaction Forces for Civil Unrest, Riots

Interview with Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.)

Former Acting Vice Chief of National Guard Bureau

The Wall Street Journal

Oct. 29, 2025

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon has ordered the National Guard to create “quick reaction” forces in every state and territory by January that are trained and equipped to respond to riots and civil unrest within the U.S., according to internal Defense Department memos.

The riot control units are a major shift for the Pentagon, underscoring the Trump administration’s push to directly involve the military in responding to protests and other domestic missions that have been off-limits except in emergencies.

As many as 500 soldiers in each state or territory National Guard organization will be assigned to deploy in the U.S. on short notice and receive nonlethal training in crowd control, handling of detainees and use of batons, stun guns and body shields, according to the Pentagon directives.

President Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in August to set up the specialized units. The memos, which were sent to state Guard organizations as guidance for setting up the quick reaction forces, were reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The Guardian previously reported the directives.

They indicate that the Pentagon is carrying out Trump’s order on a large-scale and expedited timeline.

“The Department of War will be prepared to immediately provide support to Federal, state and local law enforcement to address threats of civil disturbance,” Hegseth said in a Sept. 24 memo ordering the creation of the “National Guard Response Force” for “rapid mobilization as the circumstances require.” 

Trump has repeatedly pushed for expanding the military’s role in confronting domestic unrest, both during the 2020 George Floyd protests and since returning to office, when he has ordered Guard and active duty military units to multiple cities to assist law enforcement agencies.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday during his trip to Asia, Trump referred to deploying the military domestically. “I could send the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. I could send anybody I wanted. But I haven’t done that because we’re doing well without it.”

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, a former senior Guard commander, said the creation of dedicated units for crowd control diverts the Guard from its primary mission to prepare for overseas combat and risks blurring the military’s traditional separation from domestic politics.

“There is no need for this. No mission requires this,” he said. “Every American, I don’t care what state you’re from, should understand this isn’t what we signed up for.”